On Unix, return the current processor time as a floating point number expressed in seconds. The precision, and in fact the very definition of the meaning of ``processor time'', depends on that of the C function of the same name, but in any case, this is the function to use for benchmarking Python or timing algorithms.

On Windows, this function returns wall-clock seconds elapsed since the first call to this function, as a floating point number, based on the Win32 function QueryPerformanceCounter(). The resolution is typically better than one microsecond.

If your trying to get a benchmark for your program or testing how long something takes you might want to to look at the following modules: